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<section article="grp" article_name="Real Property" number="8-5A-04" title_number="8" title_name="Landlord and Tenant" subtitle_number="5A" subtitle_name="Rental Housing -- Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault">
  <level label="a">
    <text>This section applies to an action for possession of property under § 8–402.1 of this title against a tenant or legal occupant who is a victim of abuse.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A tenant is deemed to have raised a rebuttable presumption that the alleged breach of the lease does not warrant an eviction if the tenant provides to the court:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A copy of a protective order issued for the benefit of the tenant or legal occupant under § 4–506 of the Family Law Article;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A copy of a peace order issued for the benefit of the tenant or legal occupant under § 3–1505 of the Courts Article for which the underlying act was an act of abuse; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A report by a qualified third party, provided that:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The name and physical description of the alleged perpetrator are redacted; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The alleged breach of the lease occurred within 60 days of the date the report was signed by the qualified third party.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If an act of abuse is raised as a defense in an action for possession of property under § 8–402.1 of this title, the court, in its discretion, may enter a judgment in favor of a tenant who does not provide the evidence described in paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
